How to Boil Eggs Perfectly Every Time

1. Place eggs in a saucepan or pot and cover with cold water.

2. Put pan over high heat and bring water to a rolling boil. Remove pan from heat and cover.

3. Drain eggs immediately and put in a bowl filled with water and ice cubes.

Why ice water? It cools the eggs down and prevents the green yolk problem. (Chilled water isn't cold enough — you want cold water with lots of ice cubes floating in it.) If you're planning to peel the eggs, crack them slightly before putting them in the ice water and let them sit for an hour for maximum ease of peeling.

Let the eggs stand in the hot water for 4 to 12 minutes, depending on how firm or set you want the yolks to be.

Why the time range? The longer the eggs sit in hot water the more cooked the yolk will be: figure less time for soft boiled eggs and longer time for hard boiled eggs. Use these time guidelines for large eggs: